Hung Kwong-yee

Mr Hung Kwong-Yee

Honorary University Fellow (2019)

A cordial and helpful character, friends often refer to him affectionately as Brother Big Bear. Other adjectives which best describe his personality are humble, truthful and diligent, among others. Having built a fortune from nothing, he is now at the helm of a multinational corporation specialising in the power supply industry. He is Mr Hung Kwong-yee, the Chairman, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ten Pao Group Holdings Limited (the Group).

Mr Hung is a down-to-earth entrepreneur, whose success is closely associated with his diligence, resilience and shrewd market acumen. His motto is “never admit defeat, never be greedy, remain diligent and dedicated with integrity”. He came to Hong Kong from Fujian in the late 1970s and started his transformer business when he was only 21. Though not a specialist in electronics, he learnt by doing and built the company from the ground up through hard work and careful management. He also firmly believes that a product should not only be competitive in terms of pricing, but also needs to be efficient and well-made. Soon the orders poured in.

Seeing the potential of the Mainland market, Mr Hung established a manufacturing plant in Huizhou as early as the 1980s. After 40 years of relentless effort, the Group has expanded from the small, humble transformer plant that marked the start of the journey to become a multinational conglomerate that produces a broad range of products with a workforce of more than 6,500 people. Not only has his company received accolades from a number of other overseas markets, including the US, but it has also created a legendary Hong Kong business, which is ranked in the top 10 Chinese manufacturers of switching power supply units according to Ipsos report. Mr Hung stresses that integrity and devotion are most important in running a business. “The profits of Ten Pao Group are not for my own enjoyment but are re-invested into the Group for technology, support and facilities upgrades,” he says.

Seeing the importance of technological advancement, Mr Hung puts a strong focus on research and development (R&D). The Group has a strong R&D team of over 200 people and has established technology partnerships with a number of local and overseas education institutes, enabling it to enhance its R&D and innovation capabilities. It has received numerous awards and honours in recent years, including being recognised as a High and New-Technology Enterprise of the National Torch Program, among others. Mr Hung says humbly that all these accomplishments are attributable to the young people from the R&D team. For the Group to sustain its development, he believes that it is important to respond to our rapidly changing world. While he cherishes the innovative ideas of young employees, he would like to increase the feasibility of these ideas with the help of experienced employees in order to maintain momentum when developing new products.

Mr Hung also cares for his staff and treats them all on an equal footing. Despite his busy schedule, he regularly meets with his staff and listens to their personal problems and difficulties at work. He does not hesitate to lend them a hand when needed. Unsurprisingly, the staff are loyal to the Group, and it’s not unusual for two or three generations of the same family to have worked for Mr Hung.

On top of his successful business, Mr Hung never forgets to contribute to society through public service. He is a member of the Anhui Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. He is also the Chairman of the Executive Committee of PRD Council’s Huizhou Chapter under the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, the president of the 7th council of the Huizhou City Huicheng District Foreign Investment Enterprise Association, the executive vice president of the 7th council of the Huizhou City Foreign Investment Enterprise Association, the chairman of Huizhou Ganghui Love Foundation , the executive vice president of Huizhou Overseas Chinese Enterprises Association, the vice chairman of Hong Kong Shine Tak Foundation, and the Honorary Permanent President of the Hong Kong Baptist University Foundation. With a strong belief that knowledge changes destiny, he has supported the education of rural girls in Guizhou for many years and attends their graduation every June. Witnessing their growing self-confidence is most gratifying.

Mr Hung also believes that technological advances should not alter the essence of education, as the interaction between teachers and students is of the utmost importance to the character growth of students. He has generously supported HKBU and the development of the Jao Tsung-I Academy of Sinology, which aims to promote the heritage of classical Chinese studies, in the hope of countering a negative culture which seeks quick success and instant benefits. As an Honorary Court Member of HKBU, he gives professional advice to the University from time-to-time and encourages staff and students to engage in more exchanges with Mainland counterparts so as to have a better understanding of the rapid rise of China. He believes that university students will succeed as long as they do not mind suffering, keep working hard, and remain dedicated to their work.

Mr Hung always treats people sincerely and would seek every single opportunity for the Group to go beyond Hong Kong and gain worldwide recognition. Apart from the remarkable success of his own business, he also gives a great amount back to the community by nurturing the future pillars of society. Mr Hung is undoubtedly a shining example for future Hong Kong entrepreneurs.